What To Watch for In Guardians Opening Day Matchup vs. Royals

The Cleveland Guardians have many compelling storylines to follow heading into their first game and series of the 2025 MLB season.

Sep 3, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Tanner Bibee (28) delivers a pitch against the Kansas City Royals in the first inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Opening Day is finally here! Let the 2025 MLB season begin.

The Cleveland Guardians are kicking off the new baseball season with a three-game series against the Kansas City Royals.

Can Tanner Bibee Start Season Strong?

Tanner Bibee was named the Guardians Opening Day starter last week and then received a fresh five-year contract extension over the weekend, continuing the good news.

Bibee only made three starts during spring training but looked in mid-season form in each outing.

The right-hander finished the Cactus League with a 1.88 ERA, a 0.84 WHIP, and 12 strikeouts in just 14.1 innings.

Now, it's time for Bibee to put all of his offseason and spring training work together and get off to a strong start to the regular season.

For whatever it's worth, Bibee made two starts at Kauffman Stadium in 2024, had a 2.25 ERA, 0.750 WHIP, and gave up just six hits in 12 innings pitched.

Cleveland's Right Field Roll Out

With the Royals starting LHP Cole Ragans on the mound to open up the season, it feels like a safe assumption that Jhonkensy Noel will be in Cleveland's starting lineup in right field.

However, what happens after that is where it gets interesting.

Nolan Jones has been back in the Guardians organization for less than a week, but Chris Antonetti has already detailed a plan for where the outfielder will see his most action: in right field against right-handed pitching.

Mar 3, 2025; Peoria, Arizona, USA; Cleveland Guardians outfielder Jhonkensy Noel against the Seattle Mariners during a spring training game at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Kansas City has quite a few righties in their bullpen, and at some point, Ragans will have to come out of the game.

Will Noel stay in the lineup for all nine innings, or will Jones eventually pinch-hit for the right fielder later in the game?

Gabriel Arias, Guardians, and Second Base

Andres Gimenez is a Blue Jay. Tyler Freeman is a Rockie. Juan Brito is starting the season at Triple-A.

This leaves Gabriel Arias to start the season as Cleveland's second baseman. Even though he will likely get the first crack on the right side of the middle infield, it doesn't mean it's his job for the entire season.

Arias must prove he can be a reliable hitter in the back half of the lineup and is coming off a solid spring training.

It would be nice to see the 25-year-old get off to a solid start to the year, and that begins with this first series in Kansas City.

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